By GAGE WILSON
for Glasgow News 1
Cave City City Council has a full roster after a special-called meeting Wednesday, Aug. 6. Andrew Bagshaw was picked to fill the vacant seat left open by the resignation of Brandon Wright in July.
With Wright’s departure, the council was racing against the clock to fill the seat — after 30 days, the decision would have been turned over to the governor’s office.
Two candidates were nominated: Jamie Burnett and Bagshaw, both involved in public safety in different ways. Burnett was nominated by Councilman Clifton Parsley, and Bagshaw by Councilwoman Beverly Ford.
At Parsley’s request, the floor was opened for nominees to speak briefly about themselves.
“It takes a village,” said nominee Jamie Burnett to the council in his bid to fill a vacant seat. He received two votes from the current council members. Gage Wilson/ for Glasgow News 1
“I’ve lived here most of my life and this is my home,” Burnett said, who works with the city’s code enforcement. “I want to make a difference, if possible, and I’d love to get to where no one has to move away to do anything, because they can do it all here.”
After Burnett’s remarks, Councilwoman Leticia Cline raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest if Bagshaw were appointed, given his role in the fire department as a volunteer firefighter. Bagshaw was unable to attend the meeting due to a scheduling conflict.
“That question has been posed before,” responded City Attorney Bobby Richardson. “My answer is no.”
Richardson explained that two types of conflicts could disqualify someone from serving on a municipal council: One defined by statute and another under common law. “The statute names various positions that are in conflict or incompatible,” he said. “And the other is a common law conflict — that’s whenever someone could make decisions that directly affect them.”
“But if we vote on anything budgeting for the fire department, he would have to abstain,” Cline argued.
Richardson responded that since such votes would not impact Bagshaw personally, they would not constitute a conflict. “I don’t think there is any incompatibility,” he said. “Based on my interpretation of the law.”
The council then moved to vote. Council members Ford, Doyle, and Cline voted in favor of Bagshaw; Coffey and Parsley voted for Burnett. With a 3–2 majority, Bagshaw was appointed to the vacant seat.
Mayor Dwayne Hatcher said Bagshaw is expected to make his inaugural appearance as a council member at the city’s next regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 11.
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